Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:11 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Smokey, you quote the following:

The next generation of Ablett, Smith, Scruton, Murrell, came through 4-6 years ago.

None of these are world beaters. Scruton debuted in 2002 anyway (albeit at 17), and Murrell's not worth much.

one of them Smith is an international, ive no doubt before long 2 others (Scruton and Ablett) will be internationals before long, 3 international players isnt a bad return per generation

then 2-4 years ago we had Hall, Golden, Fox and Burgess, Ratu, Gibson, Broughton and Allen,

Of these Hall is good, Fox is one that got away but the rest are nothing to write home about. Golden, Fox and Broughton never troubled the Leeds first team even when injuries allowed, and Ratu played a handful of games.

Hall is an international, Fox is an international, Broughton is in this years train on squad. The reason Fox and Broughton couldnt get a shot at Leeds was they were behind two other Leeds trained international wingers in Hall and Smith, not to mention the other the one they had produced only a couple of years before in Calderwood. Again 2 international players, and a few first choice SL players isnt a bad return per generation.

I'm not talking about 17 new players a year, that's cr*p. I'm saying that since Burrow and McGuire started in 2001 for example, Leeds haven't produced a single halfback who has looked like even pressuring them for a spot in the side. The careers of the wannabees who have left the club in that time bears this out.

other than Murrell and Tansey. Besides Mcguire played a total of 3 games in 2001, 9 in 2002. He didnt come through until 2003, 7 years ago, since then we have seen Murrell and Tansey come through as SL players. Burrow started a total of 16 games in the two years after 2001, again he was still being brought through, he was again given his shot in 2003.

A club our size IMO ought to be producing a halfback every two-three years who is SL quality, and a real goodun every five years or so. If you think that's not possible have a look at the NRL - most clubs have that sort of standard of youngsters coming through.

why would we want to spend lots of time and effort bringing through players not as good as the players we already have? it seems a massive waste of time. The reason no-one has challenged Mcguire and Burrow is because Mcguire and Burrow are very very good players, and there are very few players of their quality, why you are expecting us to bring through a fantastic halfback every five years i dont know, seems a pointless unsettling of the team.

and most NRL clubs dont have that standard coming through, Wests for example havent brought through another Benji, St George couldnt find another Gasnier. Darren Lockyer has been first choice for Brisbane and Australia since Methuselah was a youngster.

No club, in RL is bringing through a half back as good as Danny Mcguire every 5 years.

We have a pathway where we have a stable squad, added to by the young players good enough to do so, and a succession plan so that when these players come towards the end of their career we have a prospect in place to take over. What we dont do is drop danny Mcguire at his peak to give game-time to a player who isnt as good as him and doesnt have his potential.

Thats why as Sinfield hits thirty we see Clarkson come in, as Diskin creaps towards 30, McShane gets game-time. Mcguire is 27, over the next three or so years we will see Stevie Ward get game time, and its why we didnt three years ago drop Danny Mcguire for Jordan Tansey.

Sheer number of players means nothing - where's the real quality in the lists above? Not one world class player. Again, not having a dig at Leeds alone, but its not as great a record as many make out (especially Leeds fans).

by whose definition? some would argue we have no world class players, others would say we have maybe 25, i think the fact that every two year generation has led to at least couple of internationals since the huge group of internationals produced 8 years ago, then we are doing well enough.

the numbers speak for themselves. We will succeed and fail because of our youth development, its something we can rightly be proud of

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:43 am  

SmokeyTA wrote:

ive no doubt before long 2 others (Scruton and Ablett) will be internationals before long,

You really think Ablett will get in the back row when England have Ellis, Burgess, O'Loughlin, Westwood, J Tomkins, Langley, Manu & that Heightington (sp) guy??

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:27 am  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

You really think Ablett will get in the back row when England have Ellis, Burgess, O'Loughlin, Westwood, J Tomkins, Langley, Manu & that Heightington (sp) guy??

I do, i see him as a very very similar type of player to Westwood,

Abletts development was probably held back a little by the seasons he spent at centre, but in a couple of years i think he will get there.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:31 am  

Catalans Dragons - Lopini Paea

Catalans Dragons - Lopini Paea

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:29 am  

Elima Joins Bulls

Elima Joins Bulls

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:06 am  

Roofaldo wrote: Elima Joins Bulls Very good signing for Bradford!

Roofaldo wrote: Elima Joins Bulls Very good signing for Bradford!

[Jimmythecuckoo]

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:19 am  

not on this seasons evidence for our lot it isn't.

Although I hope the move does him good and gets him back to his 2009 levels.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:13 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

I do, i see him as a very very similar type of player to Westwood,

Abletts development was probably held back a little by the seasons he spent at centre, but in a couple of years i think he will get there.

I may be biased, but I just can't see him getting ahead of

Burgess
Ellis
Tomkins
Westwood
O'Loughlin


Maybe he'll be a better player than Langley, Manu & Heightington, but I oubt he'll better the above 5.

Flanagan is always improving too.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:13 pm  

Pleased with Elima.

Hopefully he'll add a little bit of nastiness to our pack that's been missing.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Wed Sep 08, 2010 3:04 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

I may be biased, but I just can't see him getting ahead of

Burgess
Ellis
Tomkins
Westwood
O'Loughlin


Maybe he'll be a better player than Langley, Manu & Heightington, but I oubt he'll better the above 5.

Flanagan is always improving too.

he wont need to, Burgess will be moved up to full-time prop, and that will become more important over the next two or three years as we lose Morley and Peacock,

Ellis and Westwood are both 29, they likely only have two or three years at the very top left, and i doubt Manu or Heighington will ever represent England/GB,